In the art of computing, cache memories are used to provide faster access to memory contents. Typically, a cache memory is architecturally positioned between main memory and devices that require access to the contents of the main memory, such as the execution units of a processor. By caching memory contents in faster memories that are closer to the consuming devices, overall data access latencies are reduced.
It is known to have different levels of caches, with levels that are closer to the consuming device tending to have faster and smaller memories. If a cache memory is provided in the same package as the consuming device, the cache memory is known in the art as an internal cache memory. If the cache memory is external to the package, the cache memory is known in the art as an external cache memory.